A Coming of Arab story

Iraqi-American filmmaker Usama Alshaibi (Nice Bombs) shares his own story of experiencing racism in post-9/11 America. Showcasing the diversity of Arabs living in the United States, American Arab sparks a frank conversation about identity and perception, and argues for giving people "the space to be complicated."

“Probes what you might call the Arab-American dilemma… Alshaibi’s family is smart and complicated, and you immediately have an emotional connection to these people.”

— Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune

Usama Alshaibi is one of our most important filmmakers, a fact further defined by this engaging and enlightening documentary.”

— Underground Film Journal

“It’s giving voice to people who have been marginalized—and when they are presented in mainstream American media, it’s rarely from their perspective… At the same time, the movie doesn’t feel confrontational. It feels like the start of a conversation, rather than a provocation.”

— Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader

In the great tradition of American personal documentary film... he uses the camera as a tool to dig for answers about identity, art and filmmaking that are often overlooked.

— Documentary.org

A very personal and exposed story of identity... Recommended

— Educational Media Reviews Online

Deftly mixes archival footage, interviews, animation, and music to engage the viewer in an open conversation about a provocative topic. 